CST@Marywood

"The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ." This opening sentence of the Vatican II document, Gaudium et spes (The Church in the Modern World), is integral to the mission of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), who sponsor Marywood University. In the nineteenth century, pioneer sisters of the congregation committed themselves to the work of the Gospel through teaching in the then remote areas of Pennsylvania. Moreover, from its beginnings, Marywood has been committed to enabling its students to develop fully as persons called by God to become free, authentic, and moral participants in society, "who shall go forth to live for the betterment of the social conditions of their world" (Marywood College Catalog, 1915). For more than 90 years the Catholic social tradition has been reflected in the mission of Marywood University.

Parallels between the Mission of Marywood and Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World)

The fact that human beings are social by nature indicates that the betterment of the person and the improvement of society depend on each other. . . . Life in society is not something accessory to humanity: through their dealings with others, through mutual service, and through fraternal and sororal dialogue, men and women develop all their talents and become able to rise to their destiny. (#25)

A Catholic university sponsored by the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Marywood University roots itself in the principle of justice and a belief that education empowers people.

It is imperative that no one, out of indifference to the course of events or because of inertia, would indulge in a merely individualistic morality. The best way to fulfill one's obligations of justice and love is to contribute to the common good according to one's means and the needs of others, and also to promote and help public and private organizations devoted to bettering the conditions of life. (#30)

Enacting its ideals, Marywood offers students a welcoming and supportive community that encourages men and women of all backgrounds to shape their lives as leaders in service to others.

The more the power of men and women increases, the greater is their responsibility as individuals and as members of the community. There is no question, then, of the Christian message inhibiting them from building up the world or making them disinterested in the good of others: on the contrary it makes it a matter of stricter obligation. (#34)

Proud of its liberal arts tradition and host of professional disciplines, Marywood challenges students to broaden their understanding of global issues and to make decisions based on spiritual, ethical, and religious values.

In every age, the church carries the responsibility of reading the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel. In language intelligible to each generation, it should be able to answer the ever recurring questions which people ask about the meaning of this present life and of the life to come, and how one is related to the other. We must be aware of and understand the aspirations, the yearnings, and the often dramatic features of the world in which we live. (#4)

Marywood calls upon students to seek their full potential and invites all to engage in a lifelong process of learning.

Because of the increasingly close interdependence which is gradually extending to the entire world, we are today witnessing an extension of the role of the common good, which is the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily (#26). For the more closely the world comes together, the more widely do people's obligations transcend particular groups and extend to the whole world. This will be realized only if individuals and groups practice moral and social virtues and foster them in social living. Then, under the necessary help of divine grace, there will arise a generation of new women and men, the molders of a new humanity.(#30)

Witnessing the efficacy of teaching and scholarship, Marywood educates students to live responsibly in a diverse and interdependent world.